Acoustic Volume

[Monkey Allen]

Hi,

I'm recording an acoustic steel string via:

guitar > CADm177 condenser mic > Presonus Firebox > Guitar Tracks Pro3

I am having some trouble achieving an input level of -6db, or thereabouts. I am about double that below...-12db through to -24db. So the level is weak.

The Firebox mixer is set to input at 0db; I set the gain knob on the Firebox to about 3 o'clock; I have the 48v phantom power on and I use the recommended 12db boost.

Mic placement is probably about a foot from where the sound hole meets the fret board...and I am not exactly strumming with a great deal of vigour...but...

Is it true that acoustics in general are a bit of a challenge to mic in terms of input level...especially for a song like "Julia" by The Beatles which is fingerpicked?

I'd be happy to get a consistent level of -6db or so. If anyone has experience in acoustic levelling, give me a yell.

Thanks

 

[gordone]

hmmmm, My guess is that perhaps the Firebox pres don't have a ton of gain (assuming everything else is set ok)

I mic acoustics all the time, and I have to keep the gain down about 10'oclock to keep my inputs from clipping. I have a Great River MP2 (the original) which is know for having a ton of gain. This goes into a M-Audio Delta 44 running at +4. If I set my gain to 3 oclock, I would be hitting the red just by breathing into the mic.

Do you have the same gain problems when doing vocals?

 

[Monkey Allen]

I haven't really tried it for vocals yet. To be honest, the only recording I have done so far has been very quiet stuff where I have just been sketching out ideas in my room...I live in a unit. The mic probably has been a little too far away.

You've got me wondering about the pres for this Firebox...the last thing I wanna hear is that they can't boost a signal!! I've only ever heard good things about the Firebox pres. I'll have to record some stuff with more playing attack and with the mic closer.

Anyway, it really should work...it should pick up and generate a strong signal.

thanks gordone

 

[Monkey Allen]

All is good now. The Firebox is great. The levels are fine. The gain is good. The sound is good. The cables are good. Before the cables were bad.